Fundamentals of Immunology: Death by Friendly Fire from Coursera

Course 3 of a three course specialization called Fundamentals of Immunology. Each course in the specialization presents material that builds on the previous course's material.

This is the third leg of the journey through the defenses your body uses to keep you healthy. In the first course we learned about innate immunity and B cell function. In the second course we studied T cell function and coordination of the immune response.

Fundamentals of Immunology: Death by Friendly Fire introduces students to the basic functions of the adaptive and innate immune systems. The early lectures survey cells, tissues and organs using metaphors, cartoons and models to improve understanding and retention. After describing the form, function, origin and varieties of antibodies, subsequent lectures provide details on the mechanism of the generation of variation. The course provides animations of gene rearrangement and class switching and descriptions of affinity maturation correlated with detailed physical models of antibody structure. The final lecture reviews these concepts in anatomical context. Testing employs multiple choice questions testing facts, concepts, and application of principles. Questions may refer to diagrams, drawing and photographs used in lecture and reproduced in the outline.

What You’ll Learn:

A survey of immune cells and how they attack pathogens, with emphasis on the mechanism of inducing apoptosis and details of Antibody Directed Cell-mediated Cytotoxicity. The inflammatory response and mechanisms of generating tolerance, presented in sequence to emphasize the decision making involved in controlling attacks. A survey of autoimmune disease, their characteristics, cause and treatment. Survey of hypersensitivity reactions, including allergy, anaphylaxis, anemias, granulomas, and a variety of skin responses. This is accompanied by identification, prevention and treatment. The final discussion of preventing transplant rejection is preceded by a detailed unit on antibody technology and the methods of testing for incompatibility.

What's inside

Syllabus

Cellular Immunity

Inflamation

Tolerance

Traffic lights

Read about what's good

what should give you pause

and possible dealbreakers

Explores cellular and adaptive immunity, which is essential for health and disease

Taught by Alma Moon Novotny, Ph.D., who is recognized for their work in immunology

Develops understanding of allergy, anaphylaxis, anemias, granulomas, skin responses, and other hypersensitivity reactions

Provides a detailed unit on antibody technology and testing for incompatibility

Reviews summary

Advanced immunology concepts explained

According to learners, this course, the third in a specialization, offers a clear and detailed exploration of advanced immunology topics like autoimmunity, hypersensitivity, and transplant immunity. Many found the explanations easy to follow, especially the use of metaphors and analogies. While some topics, particularly transplant immunity, were considered particularly complex, the overall sentiment is highly positive. Reviewers praised the engaging lectures and found the course a great continuation and solid conclusion to the specialization, building effectively on prior material.

Material is complex, requires focus.

"Some sections, especially transplant immunity, were quite complex and required careful study."

"While challenging at times, mastering the material was very rewarding."

"The topics covered are advanced, so come prepared to focus and review."

Lectures are interesting and hold attention.

"The lectures were very engaging and kept me interested throughout the course."

"Enjoyed the presentation style, it made potentially dry material quite lively."

"Found the instructors' delivery captivating, which helped with retention."

Covers autoimmunity, transplant, hypersensitivity.

"The detailed coverage of autoimmunity and hypersensitivity was particularly useful."

"I appreciated the depth given to transplant immunity and tolerance mechanisms."

"Learned a lot about specific diseases and reactions covered in this course."

Effectively concludes the immunology specialization.

"A great conclusion to this specialization. It wrapped up many concepts effectively."

"This course built well on the previous two, providing a solid understanding of advanced topics."

"I found this to be an excellent follow-up and capstone to the first two courses in the series."

Complex topics are broken down with clarity.

"Complex topics were broken down into easy-to-understand concepts with the use of metaphors and analogies."

"Explanations were easy to follow and helped solidify understanding of cellular immunity."

"The instructors did a great job of explaining concepts clearly, which made learning complex material much easier."

Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in Fundamentals of Immunology: Death by Friendly Fire with these activities:

Review Immune Cell Types

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Reviews the major types of immune cells and their characteristics before diving into this course.

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Identify the different types of immune cells
Summarize the function of each type of immune cell

Solve Antibody Mechanism Problems

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Provides repeated practice on applying concepts taught in the lecture on antibody mechanisms.

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Locate relevant lecture information about antibody mechanisms
Find a set of antibody mechanism problems online or in a textbook
Solve the antibody mechanism problems
Review the solutions to the problems

Summarize Key Concepts in Autoimmunity

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Reinforces comprehension by encouraging students to synthesize and condense information on autoimmunity.

Browse courses on Autoimmunity

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Review lecture notes and textbook materials on autoimmunity
Identify key concepts and main ideas
Summarize the key concepts in a written or visual format

Four other activities

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Show all seven activities

Infographic on Inflammatory Response

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Enhances understanding by transforming complex information on the inflammatory response into a visually engaging format.

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Gather information on the inflammatory response
Design an infographic that visually represents the process
Include key steps, cells, and mechanisms

Tutorial on Hypersensitivity Reactions

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Walks the learner through the different types of hypersensitivity reactions and their mechanisms.

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Find a tutorial on hypersensitivity reactions
Watch or read the tutorial
Take notes on the different types of hypersensitivity reactions and their mechanisms

Model of an Antibody-Antigen Interaction

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Deepens understanding of antibody structure and function by creating a physical or digital model.

Browse courses on Antibodies

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Research the structure and function of antibodies
Design a model that represents the interaction between an antibody and an antigen
Create the model using appropriate materials or software

Discuss Case Study on Transplant Immunity

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Facilitates the sharing of knowledge and perspectives among students on the complex mechanisms of transplant immunity.

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Identify a case study on transplant immunity
Read the case study and prepare talking points
Join a peer discussion group or forum
Share insights and engage in discussions with peers

Career center

Learners who complete Fundamentals of Immunology: Death by Friendly Fire will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:

Immunologist

An immunologist studies the immune system, which is the body's defense system against infection. This course teaches the fundamentals of immunology, including the mechanisms of action that prompt the human immune system into action, making it an excellent fit for someone who wants to be an immunologist.

See salaries and explore the career path for Immunologist

Clinical Immunologist

A clinical immunologist is a medical doctor who specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of immune disorders. This course would be perfect for someone who wants to be a clinical immunologist because it teaches the fundamentals of immunology, including the mechanisms of action that prompt the human immune system into action and develop hypersensitivity reactions.

See salaries and explore the career path for Clinical Immunologist

Research Scientist

A research scientist conducts scientific research to advance knowledge in a particular field. This course teaches the fundamentals of immunology, including the mechanisms of action that prompt the human immune system into action, which could be helpful for a research scientist who wants to study the immune system.

See salaries and explore the career path for Research Scientist

Veterinarian

A veterinarian is a medical doctor who specializes in the care of animals. The immune system is responsible for protecting the body from infection, so a veterinarian needs to have a good understanding of immunology in order to diagnose and treat diseases in animals.

See salaries and explore the career path for Veterinarian

Microbiologist

A microbiologist studies microorganisms, such as bacteria, viruses, and fungi. This course teaches the fundamentals of immunology, including the mechanisms of action that prompt the human immune system into action. This knowledge could be used to develop new vaccines and antibiotics.

See salaries and explore the career path for Microbiologist

Biochemist

A biochemist studies the chemical processes that occur within living organisms. This course teaches how the human immune system functions using the body's cells, such as T-cells and B-cells, as well as the various mechanisms by which the immune system attacks pathogens, making this course an excellent fit for someone who wants to be a biochemist.

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Medical Doctor

A medical doctor is a health care professional who has completed medical school and residency training. This course offers foundational knowledge necessary to pursue an MD, for the purpose of diagnosing and treating patients with immunological disorders.

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Pathologist

A pathologist is a medical doctor who specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of diseases. Immunologists often work together with pathologists in an effort to identify and diagnose the causes of diseases.

See salaries and explore the career path for Pathologist

Physician Assistant

A physician assistant is a health care professional who works under the supervision of a physician. PAs are qualified to provide a wide range of patient care services. This course would provide a sound understanding of immunology, which is essential for physician assistants, who often work with patients who have immunological disorders.

See salaries and explore the career path for Physician Assistant

Pharmacologist

A pharmacologist studies the effects of drugs on the body. This course teaches the fundamentals of immunology, including the mechanisms of action that prompt the human immune system into action. This knowledge could be used to develop new drugs to treat immune disorders.

See salaries and explore the career path for Pharmacologist

Biomedical Engineer

A biomedical engineer develops devices that interact with biological systems. The human immune system is one such system, and this course teaches how it functions. Understanding how the immune system functions could help a biomedical engineer design devices that are more effective at treating immunological disorders.

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Public Health Official

A public health official is responsible for protecting and improving the health of a community. This course can help build a foundation in understanding the immune system, the body's defense against infectious agents, enabling one to make better decisions about public health policy.

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Toxicologist

A toxicologist studies the effects of toxins on the body. This course teaches the fundamentals of immunology, including the mechanisms of action that prompt the human immune system into action. This knowledge could be used to develop new treatments for poisoning.

See salaries and explore the career path for Toxicologist

Epidemiologist

An epidemiologist investigates the causes of disease and other health problems in populations. This course could be helpful for an epidemiologist because it teaches the fundamentals of immunology, including the mechanisms of action that prompt the human immune system into action. This knowledge could be used to develop strategies for preventing and controlling infectious diseases.

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Allergist

An allergist studies the mechanisms of action that prompt the human immune system into action and develop hypersensitivity reactions. This course, Fundamentals of Immunology: Death by Friendly Fire, can help build a foundation to understanding hypersensitivity reactions, which include allergies, anemias, and granulomas.

See salaries and explore the career path for Allergist